Standards

Lover, Come Back To Me chords & key

Key: E♭ major
Form: AAB
Bars: 51
Groove: Medium-up swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Lover, Come Back To Me” is a jazz standard by Sigmund Romberg. It is usually played in E♭ major as a medium-up swing, and the 51-bar AAB form has 3 sections. Harmonically it contains 1 major ii–V–I cadence and 5 minor ii–V–i, uses 13 different chords and moves between the key centres C minor and E♭ major. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

E♭⁶

D^m7♭5

G^7♭9

C^m7

F⁷

G♭^dim7

E♭⁶_/G

C^m7

F⁷

B♭⁷

E♭⁶E♭⁶_/G

A♭⁶A^dim7

E♭⁶_/B♭C^m7

F^m7B♭⁷

A♭⁶A^dim7

E♭⁶_/B♭

D^m7♭5G^7♭9

C^m7

D^m7♭5G^7♭9

C^m7

D^m7♭5

G^7♭9

A♭⁷

G^7♭9

C^m7

D^m7♭5G^7♭9

C^m7

F⁷

F^m7

B♭⁷

A♭⁶A^dim7

E♭⁶C^m7

F^m7B♭⁷

Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.

Harmonic analysis

1Major ii–V–I

5Minor ii–V–i

14ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

2Dominant chains

13Different chords

Most used chords

C^m7×14
E♭⁶×7
G^7♭9×7
D^m7♭5×6
F⁷×6
B♭⁷×5

Key centres reached by ii–V

C minor and E♭ major

Recorded on these albums

1946	Piano Solos Errol Garner · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1947	Billie Holiday Billie Holiday
1951	Presenting Jimmy Raney Jimmy Raney · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1952	Piano Erroll Garner · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1953	An Evening With Billie Holiday Billie Holiday · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1953	Chet Atkins’ Gallopin’ Guitar Chet Atkins · “Lover, Come Back to Me”
1953	Anita O’Day Collates Anita O’Day · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1954	Billie and Stan Billie Holiday and Stan Getz · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1954	Dinah Jams Dinah Washington · “Lover, Come Back to Me”
1955	Sweet and Hot Ella Fitzgerald · “Lover, Come Back to Me”
1955	The Genius of Art Tatum #9 Art Tatum · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1955	Jazz Original Bud Powell · “Lover Come Back To Me”
1956	Dave Brubeck and Jay & Kai At Newport Kai Winding, J.J. Johnson & Dave Brubeck
1956	Tenderly Oscar Peterson · “Lover, Come Back to Me”
1956	The Incredible Jimmy Smith at the Organ, Volume 3 Jimmy Smith · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1956	The Trio, Volume 3: Everybody Likes Hampton Hawes Hampton Hawes · “Lover, Come Back to Me”
1956	Four Horns and a Lush Life Frank Rosolino · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1956	Ruby Braff Featuring Dave McKenna Ruby Braff Featuring Dave McKenna · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1956	Melodies by Al Hibbler Al Hibbler
1957	For Musicians Only Stan Getz / Dizzy Gillespie / Sonny Stitt · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1957	The Lady Is a Tramp Anita O’Day · “Lover, Come Back to Me”
1957	Gene Norman Presents Mel Torme at the Crescendo Mel Tormé · “Lover Come Back to Me”
1957	West Coast Wailers Conte Candoli & Lou Levy · “Love Come Back to Me”
1957	Vic's Boston Story Vic Dickenson · “Love Come Back to Me”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

Lover come back to me Freddy Albeck · Romberg og Hammerstein archive.org ↗
LOVER COME BACK TO ME Horace Heidt and His Musical Knights · Al Hirt · Hammerstein II ·… · 1950 archive.org ↗
LOVER COME BACK TO ME THE STAN GETZ QUINTET · Stan Getz · Jimmy Raney · Duke Jordan · Bill… · 1953 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Alone Too Long 29%	Arthur Schwartz	G major	AABA · 32	Ballad
Love Is The Sweetest Thing 29%	Ray Noble	D major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
There Is No Greater Love 29%	Isham Jones	B♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Dinah 27%	Harry Akst	G major	BBA · 24	Medium-up swing
Nancy (With The Laughing Face) 26%	Jimmy Van-Heusen	E♭ major	BBAA · 32	Ballad
Oh, Lady Be Good 26%	George Gershwin	G major	AABA · 32	Medium-up swing
You Are Too Beautiful 26%	Richard Rodgers	C major	AABA · 32	Ballad
Falling In Love With Love 24%	Richard Rodgers	B♭ major	AA · 64	Jazz waltz

Frequently asked questions

What key is Lover, Come Back To Me in?

Lover, Come Back To Me is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote Lover, Come Back To Me?

Lover, Come Back To Me was written by Sigmund Romberg.

What is the form of Lover, Come Back To Me?

Lover, Come Back To Me has 3 sections (AAB) with 51 bars in total.

How fast is Lover, Come Back To Me played?

The usual groove is Medium-up swing.

What are the chord changes to Lover, Come Back To Me?

The opening bars are Eb6 | Eb6 | Dm7b5 | G7b9. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.